Vermont's first official State Heritage Breed

PC Dart is a dairy program for keeping records of everything to do with the cows. I have a lot to learn still but it has been very helpful keeping things organized. It is mainly used to keep DHI (Dairy Herd Improvement) records and the milk testing records we do every month. It also keeps track of herd health, pregnancy checks, calvings, breeding, and tons of other things. I have been using it for about 2 months now and am starting to feel more comfortable with it. Up to this point I am still keeping paper records as well as PC Dart but it is mainly due to the fact I don’t trust myself on the program yet. The program can give all kinds of useful reports too.

Everything at the farm is going really well. We have been milking around 75 cows now for around 8 months and we are now starting to dry off some cows for spring freshening. We should be milking around 60 soon. It will be a relief as 2 people taking care of 75 milkers as well as all the other stock, totaling around 140 animals in all, has been a lot of work. Cows have been milking well and the overall health has been excellent. Reproduction has been difficult at best this winter. Have been having a hard time getting some of these cows bred. We don’t turn out cattle at all during the winter, and it’s hard to catch heats when they are tied up all the time.

Today is a big herd health day — the vet will be here this morning to do 8 or 10 pregnancy checks. Wish me luck!

Hamilton Rare Breeds Foundation - A not-for-profit foundation in Hartland, Vermont whose goal is to propagate, conserve,and educate the public about rare breeds of farm animals.

New England Heritage Breeds Conservancy Inc. - Conserves historic and endangered breeds of livestock and poultry and encourages production of these breeds to advance farmland preservation, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont - A not-for-profit association of farmers, gardners and consumers working to promote an economically viable and exologically sound Vermont food system for the benefit of current and future generations.

Randall Lineback Breed Association - The official site for the Randall Lineback breed of cattle. RLBA is a not-for-profit organization that was formed in 2005 to preserve, protect, and promote this unique American breed. Includes registry services, detailed history and photos.

Vermont Living - Topics of interest for anyone who lives, farms or visits in the Green Mountain state.

Weston A. Price Foundation - A not-for-profit foundation dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism.

About

Randall Linebacks are a rare breed of cattle which originated in Vermont and are steadily gaining popularity. Here you will find photos and stories about my own Randall Linebacks, as well as my experiences on New England dairy farms.

My childhood home, Randall Farms of Mt. Sinai, NY is also a subject near and dear to me. I have been collecting photos and memories and will share some of them here.

(The name is a coincidence; historic Randall Farms and the Randall Lineback breed bear no known connection.)